Courage
by HiddenLore
Summary: When everything is down to the wire, a young trainer must make a difficult choice.


Valerie slowly walked up the stair case. The road here had been a long one. The many deaths and the obstacles of life had almost destroyed her. She felt that her struggles had started the moment she met her first pokemon, Undertow, and each step in her journey was a step into the unknown. When she lost Undertow she nearly gave up, and each death after that had been just as hard. Just thinking of those fallen friends brought tears to her eyes, which she violently brushed away. Now wasn't the time. She had carefully prepared and trained her team for the Elite Four. These were the strongest trainers in the region and she knew that there was a chance that all her struggles would end here. She had defeated each member of the Elite Four, but not without sustaining casualties. Each member of the Elite Four had taken a pokemon from her team. Marina fell to a critical Take Down fighting Sydney's Mightyena. Delta had been hit by an unexpected earthquake fighting Phoebe's Dusclops. Ford had been unlucky enough to take a Sheer Cold, nothing Valerie could have done would have saved him, but it still hurt. The last match had been brutal. The dragon user Drake had been a tough opponent to match, and she knew that she had leaned on Kracken too much in the battle. She worried about facing the champion without him.

Her mind went back to the day in the pokemon center surrounded by her team, more than a month ago now.

"I think that I should challenge the Elite Four," she had told them, "After all it was what I set out to do, and it is why I continue to push forward," Valerie stared at the intelligent faces surrounding her, "However, there's always a chance that you won't make it," Her eyes began to sting. Memories of the most recent death threatening to push free of her eyes. She fought them back and continued, "I won't force any of you to fight in those conditions," Here she took a deep breath she had thought about this for awhile now, "If you would like to back out now, I offer you the opportunity to leave. You can stay in the PC, or even return to your wild homes. I won't make you fight, and I won't hate you for leaving," Valerie's vision began to blur, and she was staring at her legs, travel worn and strong. She felt a touch from one of her pokemon, and looked up, without fail each pokemon looked her in the eye, and stepped forward, ready to help her achieve her goals.

The memory faded into the massive staircase in front of her, and now four of those brave pokemon were dead. They would never see if she succeeded, if their sacrifice was worth it. Only one thing still stood between her and the end. It was the champion of the region. This trainer was said to be the most powerful trainer in the world, though with so many regions having champions, Valerie found this a little hard to believe, regardless though, she knew that he would be the most powerful trainer she had yet faced. He specialized in no pokemon type, and each of his pokemon was rumored to be a force to be reckoned with.

Finally she saw the top of the stairs and saw what lay ahead, before her stood a door that was fittingly large and imposing. No crack or handle indicated how it opened. On the wall was simple touch pad. Her hand hovered over the device, and she looked at the display. There were two buttons she could press. One would open the door, and lead her into the final battle. The other would activate a teleport pad which would let her escape. Her finger floated towards the escape option. Her last two pokemon would be safe. They wouldn't have to fight and die for a meaningless dream. Valerie would be doing what was right, wouldn't she? On the other hand Valerie would most likely never be back here. With only two able pokemon, she would be hard pressed to make it this far again.

She heard a whisper in her mind, there were no words, but she felt memories of her journey fill her mind.

She stood before the professor, who offered her a choice of starters. She looked at the three choices and felt a connection to the water type. She had named him Undertow and began her journey.

She was sitting on a blanket in the forest a plate of berries surrounded by the four pokemon that she had caught.

She was standing side by side with a green haired boy, facing down petty criminals. As they defeated them, the two shared a friendly victory hug.

She stood beside a fallen pokemon, crying into the neck of another who still lived.

She thought of the four departed pokemon again, and let a single tear fall. What was their death for if she left now? She took a deep breath. Held onto it for a second, then released it in a rush. Her hand slammed down on the button that would open the door. She closed her eyes as the massive door slid into the floor.

After all, if she backed out now, the courage her pokemon had shown her would be wasted. Courage was all she had to give in return. They would go into this battle, and they would do their best. She stepped over the threshold and the door closed. Her mind was clear, her doubts were gone, and she began to prepare her strategies.


End file.
